Chapter 165
Chapter 165
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 165
>Chapter Title: God is Great (2)
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Adapting to life at the changed Demonic Path Academy. Time flew by quickly.
During training sessions, instructors and assistants offered various advice to the disciples based on past field exercises, and the disciples threw themselves into practice accordingly.
On top of that, the poison training sessions led by Instructor Eun-ryeo gradually increased in difficulty.
“Gahk….”
Some showed occasional signs of poisoning, but thanks to the swift responses from Instructor Eun-ryeo and the assistants, no cases were severe enough to require transport to the main headquarters.
The Meditation Club had also become much more peaceful with the sharp drop in attendance.
‘Why doesn’t this guy leave?’
Strangely, only some guy called Heavenly Water Dragon or whatever stuck around to the end, constantly giving me the creeps with his stares.
That was how more than a month passed, until one day.
We left the Demonic Path Academy once more, heading somewhere for our second field exercise.
But the direction we were heading was completely different from last time.
Instead of exiting the Heavenly Myriad Mountains toward the New River, we were going toward the main headquarters.
And when we arrived at a point roughly midway between the Demonic Path Academy and the main headquarters, we encountered a group waiting for us.
The middle-aged man at the forefront, with a scary face marked by a scar right under his eye, opened his mouth with a smile.
“Welcome. Disciples of the Demonic Path Academy. I am Black Tiger Unit Leader Gu Yang-hyeok.”
It was an odd feeling.
Without the scar, he might have seemed like a jovial middle-aged man, but the scar under his eye gave off an inexplicable sense of intimidation.
“We greet Black Tiger Unit Leader!”
No sooner had he introduced himself than the disciples simultaneously clasped their hands in greeting.
The Black Tiger Unit Leader swept his gaze over the greeting disciples while maintaining his peculiar smile.
‘Hm?’
The exact moment his eyes reached me.
Heh.
The corner of his mouth lifted even higher, and the instant our eyes met, he quickly returned to his original expression and looked away.
‘Does he know me?’
While I harbored that doubt, the Black Tiger Unit Leader, having scanned all the disciples, spoke up.
“The Black Tiger Unit’s mission is to guard our Divine Cult’s sacred mountains, the Heavenly Myriad Mountains. Beyond the Heavenly Myriad Mountains to the west and north live unbelievers, so our task is to ensure they never dare to covet this place.”
Perhaps because it was an explanation of what lay ahead, the disciples focused intently on his words, their eyes shining.
“In the past, six units took turns dividing the areas for surveillance, but now, with the Lord of Ten Thousand Demons focusing more on internal affairs, three units including ours take turns patrolling and monitoring the Heavenly Myriad Mountains. So you all must concentrate even more on this field exercise. We can’t have gaps in the surveillance net just because our numbers are reduced.”
Listening to the Black Tiger Unit Leader’s explanation, I could guess why he had smiled at me earlier.
‘Shit.’
It had to be resentment toward me.
The reason the martial force guarding the Heavenly Myriad Mountains had shrunk from six to three units, and the reason the Master was focusing more on internal affairs, was all because of my advice.
Things like children’s education or the New River redevelopment plan lacking manpower, requiring even martial units to be reassigned.
As I felt an ominous premonition that this field exercise period would be shrouded in darkness, the Black Tiger Unit Leader suddenly said something unexpected.
“Alright. Any questions?”
Turning my head in confusion, I saw Dokgo Pae with his hand raised high, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.
“Does that mean we can fight the unbeliever scum who sneak into the Heavenly Myriad Mountains?”
“If unbelievers enter the Heavenly Myriad Mountains, we will fight.”
“And if none have come in, we won’t go out to catch them?”
Dokgo Pae was itching to smash the heads of those vile unbelievers.
“As I said earlier, we’re short on manpower due to focusing on internal affairs. Rather than going out to hunt down the western unbelievers, we must concentrate solely on finding those who sneak in.”
At that answer, Dokgo Pae openly showed his disappointment and muttered.
“Please invade, you unbeliever bastards! I, Dokgo Pae, will split your heads with my Dokgo Lone Sword!”
He was a madman.
* * *
After that, the Black Tiger Unit Leader continued explaining the unit’s missions and precautions.
“If you have any further questions, ask the senior unit members during rest breaks in between patrols.”
With that brief explanation ended and the Black Tiger Unit Leader’s order to depart, they began moving along the mountain paths of the Heavenly Myriad Mountains.
Unlike the previous field exercise, the pace this time was quite leisurely.
Back then, the situation demanded quickly dealing with bandits, but now the goal was surveillance and scouting.
They spread out at certain intervals, maintaining a moderate speed with lightness skills while vigilantly monitoring the surroundings.
But just because the speed was slow didn’t make it easy. It wasn’t a full sprint, but they had to keep a steady pace, constantly scanning all directions without rest, and move nonstop for nearly an hour.
“We’ll take a short break here.”
At the Black Tiger Unit Leader’s command, those who had been scattered at intervals began gathering together.
‘Whew.’
Il-mok approached them casually, stopped at a suitable distance, and let out a light sigh.
‘Feels a bit sticky.’
Unlike the other disciples who were drenched in sweat, Il-mok, with his superior cultivation, felt like he’d just taken a light stroll.
A faint sheen of sweat on his forehead, but his body wasn’t soaked. Still, even this was uncomfortably sticky for Il-mok.
‘Should I use the Dew Condensation Technique? Or not?’
Lost in that dilemma for a moment.
His expression turned ashen.
The Black Tiger Unit Leader had approached him before he knew it.
“Hahaha. No need to be so tense. I won’t eat you.”
Il-mok forced a smile at the Black Tiger Unit Leader’s words, accompanied by his signature smile that twisted the scar.
‘He won’t eat me. Sure….’
Instead, he’d roast me alive. Like some entitled complainer from back home.
But what came out of the Black Tiger Unit Leader’s mouth was completely unrelated to Il-mok’s expectations.
“Actually, I’ve heard about you from Mun-i.”
“…?”
Il-mok pondered who “Mun-i” was for a moment before belatedly realizing.
“You mean Young Master Gu Yang-mun?”
“That’s right. Hahaha. You probably guessed from hearing my surname, but Mun-i is my nephew.”
“Ah….”
He hadn’t even considered it.
“Hahaha. You seem surprised that I acted familiar upon first meeting. Actually, I asked Mun-i to describe your appearance, so I recognized you at once.”
“I-is that so?”
Why on earth would he ask his nephew about my face just to identify me?
‘He really intends to screw me over.’
Images of complainers from modern times kept popping into Il-mok’s head, but what the Black Tiger Unit Leader said next was again unexpected.
“Actually, I’d already heard rumors about you. No, even before the rumors spread, I heard from Mun-i. Apparently, he sees you as another master?”
“Ahahaha… You flatter me.”
“Hahaha. From what I heard from my White Sparrow Unit Leader and Mun-i, the rumors seem understated compared to the reality?”
Not content with Gu Yang-mun, he’d even gotten info from the White Sparrow Unit Leader we’d worked with in the last exercise.
And Black Tiger Unit Leader Gu Yang-hyeok, still wearing his signature smile, casually remarked.
“I heard from my White Sparrow Unit Leader that after graduating from the Demonic Path Academy, you’ll be taking on a special mission from the Heavenly Demon?”
Il-mok nearly let his expression crumple without realizing it.
‘Why is that guy so loose-lipped?’
Since the words had already been spoken, he couldn’t claim it was a lie now. Il-mok managed his expression and replied.
“…That’s correct.”
“Hmm. But if you wanted, couldn’t you persuade His Supremacy? What do you say? After graduating from the Demonic Path Academy, how about joining our Black Tiger Unit?”
Only then did Il-mok realize Gu Yang-hyeok’s true intent.
Now it was clear he wasn’t a complainer, but someone recruiting him.
In that case, dealing with him was simple.
All tension gone, Il-mok smiled softly and replied.
“I’m sorry. I share the same intentions as my Master.”
There was no reason to fear him if he wasn’t a complainer.
* * *
The journey with the Black Tiger Unit wasn’t bad for Il-mok.
There were no rushed movements like with the White Sparrow Unit, and above all, procuring water was easy.
They could get water from streams or rivers in the mountains, and since there was more moisture in the air compared to the barren plains, using the Dew Condensation Technique was straightforward.
“Damn it! You coward unbeliever scum! Why don’t you invade?!”
The ravings of the deranged Dokgo Pae echoed occasionally, but Il-mok didn’t pay it much mind.
That was how a fortnight passed wandering the Heavenly Myriad Mountains with the Black Tiger Unit.
At a terrain flanked by a river, the Black Tiger Unit Leader halted and shouted.
“Halt! Take a two-hour break here.”
At his shout, the Cult disciples gathered around him and began preparing to rest.
Some went to the river to fetch or drink water, while others plopped down to circulate their qi and adjust their breathing or chat with those nearby.
In that atmosphere, Il-mok suddenly unleashed his lightness skill, leaving the group and heading somewhere.
But everyone took it in stride. They’d seen it multiple times over the past fortnight.
“Going for another bath?”
“He really is something else in every way.”
The Black Tiger Unit members saying that had expressions similar to those they gave Dokgo Pae when he spouted nonsense.
Unaware that they saw him on the same level as Dokgo Pae, Il-mok quickly moved into the brush, stripped, and dove into the river.
Splash!
A refreshing sound echoed, and after washing off his sweat in the river water, Il-mok paused while about to rub the soapberry he’d brought onto his body.
It was because a faint taste of river water that had entered his mouth when he jumped in felt off.
Frowning, he sensed the energy in that water for a moment, then spat out the river water that had gotten into his mouth.
‘Who knew poison training would help like this.’
The energy he sensed in the river water was a type of corrosive poison.
“It’s poison!! The river water is contaminated!”
No sooner had Il-mok shouted than the Black Tiger Unit Leader bellowed.
“Those who drank the river water, immediately circulate your inner energy to expel the poison! And everyone, form up in combat formation!”
The moment he heard Il-mok’s shout, the Black Tiger Unit Leader realized something crucial.
The area was too quiet.
Of course, with over sixty people from the Black Tiger Unit and Demonic Path Academy moving together, animals fleeing was natural.
But this was a riverine area. It might be understandable right nearby, but no animal sounds from upstream or downstream was eerie.
While those who drank circulated their qi and others stood guard entering combat readiness, Il-mok hastily wiped down, dressed, and returned.
‘Damn. Damn.’
He hadn’t even cleaned properly, and putting back on sweat-soaked clothes was driving him mad.
“Finally! Finally!!”
Amid that, seeing Dokgo Pae rejoicing at the arrival of combat made Il-mok want to smack the back of his head.
“Shut up!!”
“This is a situation where comrades could die!”
“Do you think real combat is a game?!”
Even so, they knew when to draw the line; the Black Tiger Unit members who usually laughed it off now scolded Dokgo Pae.
“Whew.”
Thanks to watching Dokgo Pae get chewed out, Il-mok felt a bit more at ease and sighed.
Then, figures slowly approaching from beyond the brush came into view.
Their numbers, spreading out to cover all directions, easily surpassed a hundred.
Il-mok enhanced his vision with inner energy to examine them, then soon tilted his head.
‘Their attire looks nomadic, but the races are mixed?’
Perhaps because they came from beyond the Heavenly Mountains. Half resembled nomads or Mongolians, and the other half looked like people from what’s commonly called the Middle East.
As they closed to a certain distance.
Suddenly, the flow of qi in the air began to twist. Centered on certain men.
Il-mok easily grasped the situation.
‘Sorcery?’
Not exactly the same, but it gave off a similar vibe to when Acting Instructor An Jeok-un had demonstrated sorcery in the past.
They waved the sticks in their hands this way and that, muttering in an unintelligible language.
As they shook the sticks, the qi flows tangled, then suddenly stabilized.
“Allahu Akbar!!”
Allah’s magic wand spewed fire.